Sidwell vs. Georgetown Day School -- pros and cons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are actually very different. Different structure to classes, different "vibes". Sidwell is very much a traditional school that is rooted in Quakerism. GDS is a progressive school born out of the Civil Rights era.

They share some common values, but have wildly different approaches to classroom etiquette and feel.

💯

[Anonymous]

Sidwell is more traditional and has strong name recognition outside of DC. It produces great college outcomes, but mostly for the top 25% of the class, who typically go to Ivy League schools or other top 20 universities. GDS is the same. These students are extremely smart, often “whiz kids,” and will stand out academically. If your child is in this category, you’ll already know it—if you don’t, they may not be in the advanced group. These students handle high levels of stress well, often because they can do less work or at least work with less time/pressure while still excelling. The remaining 75% of students tend to get into schools ranked around the top 50 -75 (more or less), similar to other students in the DMV area. So now we're talking how much homework and stress is worth similar outcomes to other schools with 1/2 the pressure cooking atmostphere.

GDS, on the other hand, offers more freedom but has less school cohesion. It’s a smaller, quirkier environment that’s less focused on sports. While the school has its strengths, it tends to give out more homework than you'd probably like for your child. I attended GDS and later Yale, and I’ll note that GDS doesn’t have the same national recognition as Sidwell, particularly after the Obamas made Sidwell even more well-known. GDS may be stronger in the humanities or at least used to be and has a social justice focus, but neither school is particularly strong in STEM compared to other local schools. Both schools can feel like pressure cookers with more homework than is really worth it.

If you had to choose, Sidwell is probably the better option. You’ll face similar pressures at both schools, but Sidwell carries more prestige, which can be important in the real world. GDS, though once a great school, has seen better days.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. I agree that they are both similar and different. The classroom vibes and structure of classes is the thing we haven’t had the chance to see yet and I hope my kid gets to experience this on the shadow days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do another shadow day. Both give a ton of homework that is outside the normal for high school. Find out about stuff that will make your and your kid’s life better.

Stuff like does one not give homework over breaks. How much homework over the weekend. Does either give a full week off for Thanksgiving. What is the class schedule -block or other. Is there parking when your kid can drive.

Sidwell is a big 3 if that is important to you.[u/quote]

So is GDS.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell is not a secular school if that matters to you. They talk about God and they have worship meetings in line with being a Quaker school. That’s at least one big difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do another shadow day. Both give a ton of homework that is outside the normal for high school. Find out about stuff that will make your and your kid’s life better.

Stuff like does one not give homework over breaks. How much homework over the weekend. Does either give a full week off for Thanksgiving. What is the class schedule -block or other. Is there parking when your kid can drive.

Sidwell is a big 3 if that is important to you.[u/quote]

So is GDS.

No GDS is not the big 3. The big three have always been the Two cathedral schools and Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is not a secular school if that matters to you. They talk about God and they have worship meetings in line with being a Quaker school. That’s at least one big difference.

Good point.

[Anonymous]

Questions on GDS for Upper School: What do families/kids typically do for lunch? Do most kids eat out every day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Questions on GDS for Upper School: What do families/kids typically do for lunch? Do most kids eat out every day?

No. Most kids in our kid's class bring lunch but eat our occasionally (like a couple of times a month), but there are those who each out regularly, which is time-consuming and obviously expensive. A few Door Dash, which to me is insane, but there are some very wealthy families at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do another shadow day. Both give a ton of homework that is outside the normal for high school. Find out about stuff that will make your and your kid’s life better.

Stuff like does one not give homework over breaks. How much homework over the weekend. Does either give a full week off for Thanksgiving. What is the class schedule -block or other. Is there parking when your kid can drive.

Sidwell is a big 3 if that is important to you.[u/quote]

So is GDS.

No GDS is not the big 3. The big three have always been the Two cathedral schools and Sidwell.

Times change. Deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are no material differences. Let your kid pick. Those who say they are very different are way too immersed in the insular world of the expensive DC private school scene.

It truly does not matter.

Not true. Personally, I would never send a boy to GDS.

[Anonymous]

DS chose GDS over Sidwell bc he is more focused on the arts. He is an athlete, but knows he is not good enough to play on Sidwell's basketball team. AT GDS, he knew he would get playing time, which was important to him. The sense at GDS is that the admin really lets kids decide for themselves what their strengths are and pretty much will support that choice. At Sidwell, there is more conformity with regard to what is understood as excellence. College outcomes are very similar, though they vary from year to year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is not a secular school if that matters to you. They talk about God and they have worship meetings in line with being a Quaker school. That’s at least one big difference.

Good point.

I have not heard that word used once. So you can’t possibly know since you’ve obviously only read about SFS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was wondering if folks with experience at either/both schools would like to weigh in.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

GDS
1. Less structured teaching/classroom environment;
2. No high school cafeteria/lunch program;
3. CCO restricts the number of college applications to 12;
4. No AP courses offered, and the AP exam is NOT administered on campus; and
5. Founded as a racially integrated school in 1945 (on the right side of history).

Sidwell
1. More structured/traditional teaching and classroom environment;
2. High school cafeteria (lunch included in tuition cost);
3. CCO does NOT restrict students’ college applications;
4. No AP courses offered, however, the AP exam is administered on campus; and
5. Founded in 1883 and racially segregated until 1956 (NOT on the right side of history).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no material differences. Let your kid pick. Those who say they are very different are way too immersed in the insular world of the expensive DC private school scene.

It truly does not matter.

Not true. Personally, I would never send a boy to GDS.

Why?